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Do that then, cause I don't want to get too far off the MPLS/Cincy thread. I think they are probably the 2 most culturally and demographically similar cities in America. I don't think either feels (or functions) very urban or has much of an urban vibe. KC's built environment is very similar to East Cincy north of McMillan and is more urban than most of the West side. The populations are nearly identical. The neighborhoods even line up well. Both are the smaller siblings cities to larger industrial powerhouses in their states. Both have a weird rednecky urban culture, small compact cores of about 300K people in about 75 square miles. Both have nearly identical Urbanized Areas and metro pops and densities. Both are kind of sleepy, roll up the awnings fairly early, both have funky art scenes, second rate transit, both are building small streetcars lines, both are shrinking, both have "nodes" of walkable urban neighborhoods, both are laid back and friendly, etc., etc., etc.
Like I said, make a thread.
Although I agree that KC and Cincy do share significant similarities (for example, their MSA size and density, small compact cores, funky art scenes, second rate transit, etc.), I disagree about many other observations made here. Without a doubt, anyone with eyeballs and discernment wouldn't even think about mistaking one city for another. Just what were you thinking when you made a conclusion like this?!
BTW: Yes, I do realize that this is a "MPLS/Cincy" thread, and that a "KC/Cincy" discussion best be initiated elsewhere; hopefully it will be, where it might be of interest.
Cincy gets my vote just on the 3.6 mile streetcar line being built as well as the city's dense downtown area. Minneapolis has way too much downtown surface parking for it to be a northern city. Also, Minneapolis is way too cold for me. On the flip side, Minneapolis has a brighter future, is MUCH larger as a metro/urbanized area, and it was spelled correctly in this thread's title...
...On the flip side, Minneapolis has a brighter future, is MUCH larger as a metro/urbanized area, and it was spelled correctly in this thread's title...
Yes, yes, yes! Anyone who initiates a city-thread and can't spell the city's name correctly commits an abominable and embarrassing error, with absolutely no excuse whatsoever. Period!(.)
Cincy gets my vote just on the 3.6 mile streetcar line being built as well as the city's dense downtown area. Minneapolis has way too much downtown surface parking for it to be a northern city. Also, Minneapolis is way too cold for me. On the flip side, Minneapolis has a brighter future, is MUCH larger as a metro/urbanized area, and it was spelled correctly in this thread's title...
You do realize that Minneapolis has, hands down, the most extensive, most heavily used transit system in the midwest outside of Chicago right? Including a 12 miles light rail line and another planned 11 mile line (I believe already under construction)? And it may have too much surface parking downtown, but whether or not somewhere is a "northern city" is not a function of its parking infrastructure. It is a function of being, you know...northern and a city. Both of which Minneapolis is. What's more, surface parking or not, downtown Minneapolis is twice as dense as downtown Cincy, and the neighborhoods around it, like Loring Park, Whittier and Ventura Village are denser than anything in Cincy, OTR and CUF included
Cincy gets my vote just on the 3.6 mile streetcar line being built as well as the city's dense downtown area. Minneapolis has way too much downtown surface parking for it to be a northern city. Also, Minneapolis is way too cold for me. On the flip side, Minneapolis has a brighter future, is MUCH larger as a metro/urbanized area, and it was spelled correctly in this thread's title...
Minneapolis has an extremely dense downtown core, but too many surface lots in Downtown East. Those lots are quickly being gobbled up by development. If you look at a map from 10-15 years ago and today, you'll see the difference in Downtown East.
Also, the Twin Cities have one completed light rail, one under construction, one well into the planning stages. In addition, there is one commuter rail line and the nation's 11th largest bus network by annual ridership. I don't a 3.6 mile streetcar line compares favorably to what already exists in the Twin Cities.
Although I agree that KC and Cincy do share significant similarities (for example, their MSA size and density, small compact cores, funky art scenes, second rate transit, etc.), I disagree about many other observations made here. Without a doubt, anyone with eyeballs and discernment wouldn't even think about mistaking one city for another. Just what were you thinking when you made a conclusion like this?!
BTW: Yes, I do realize that this is a "MPLS/Cincy" thread, and that a "KC/Cincy" discussion best be initiated elsewhere; hopefully it will be, where it might be of interest.
Start a thread, brother. We'll hash it out there and not change anyone's mind there either. I don't know why it makes Cincy people bristle so much to hear it, but..TRUTH:
Minneapolis has an extremely dense downtown core, but too many surface lots in Downtown East. Those lots are quickly being gobbled up by development. If you look at a map from 10-15 years ago and today, you'll see the difference in Downtown East.
Also, the Twin Cities have one completed light rail, one under construction, one well into the planning stages. In addition, there is one commuter rail line and the nation's 11th largest bus network by annual ridership. I don't a 3.6 mile streetcar line compares favorably to what already exists in the Twin Cities.
Facts say Minneapolis is more dense than cincy but if you look actually been to the urban core it is the completly opposite. Cincy has many hills which makes it dense but the facts include the hills and makes it seem like we have open fields in our urban core which is not correct.
You do realize that Minneapolis has, hands down, the most extensive, most heavily used transit system in the midwest outside of Chicago right?
I am most certainly aware of the mass transit in Minneapolis. My comment was about a streetcar line; which IMO is kinda "sexy".
Quote:
Originally Posted by YIMBY
I also find it amusing that someone from Charlotte
You're off topic, but back to those surface parking lots in Minneapolis. What is a northern city doing with sooooo many surface lots in downtown? Southern cities from Dallas, to Houston, to where ever has them because that's just the way post-automobile cities grew. What's the deal with Minneapolis? Serious question here. Take a good look at Cincinnati's downtown and you'll see what I'm talking about. Cincy has more block development. This could be because Cincy is older; I don't know. It just seems weird that Minneapolis doesn't have a downtown with as much density and block development as Cincinnati's downtown.
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 03-26-2013 at 03:28 AM..
You're off topic, but back to those surface parking lots in Minneapolis. What is a northern city doing with sooooo many surface lots in downtown? Southern cities from Dallas, to Houston, to where ever has them because that's just the way post-automobile cities grew. What's the deal with Minneapolis? Serious question here. Take a good look at Cincinnati's downtown and you'll see what I'm talking about. Cincy has more block development. This could be because Cincy is older; I don't know. It just seems weird that Minneapolis doesn't have a downtown with as much density and block development as Cincinnati's downtown.
Simply put, the idea was to tear down the old buildings and hope private development would build new ones. That never really happened, though. They tore down some magnificent structures, along with some other buildings which deserved to be flattened, but the rebuilding never came. For the last 20+ years, it has been more profitable to keep the land a parking lot and collect daily revenue than sell it. Thankfully, things are changing. I believe during urban renewal, the city razed over 50 city blocks, which did a lot of damage to the urban core.
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