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I think people unfamiliar with Toronto are either leaving it out of their ranking completely or are simply underestimating it by a lot. The downtown core competes only with Chicago in terms of # high rises and competes only with San Francisco in terms of density/diversity/vibrancy. I would say it's a sizeable step ahead of the other cities in all categories. That being said they ALL have impressive, vibrant downtown cores.
I think Toronto sometimes gets over sold as well as under sold. It has a massive number of high-rises, but there's still a substantial amount of area, high-rise or not, that is not really mixed-use even within just Old Toronto along with some pretty common stretches of detached single family homes with driveways. The good thing is that a lot of the times the commercial zones/corridors in Old Toronto aren't too far away, but that's not always the case.
Last edited by OyCrumbler; 06-11-2017 at 10:40 PM..
I think Toronto sometimes gets over sold actually. It has a massive number of high-rises, but there's still a substantial amount of area, high-rise or not, that is not really mixed-use. The good thing is that a lot of the times the commercial zones/corridors aren't too far away, but that's not always the case.
It is always the case in the core. The east-west retail streets are 1/3 mile apart, which means you're never more than 800 feet or so from the nearest east-west retail street. And that's not even counting the north-south retail streets like Yonge and Spadina.
Philadelphia does obviously consist of much more than what that guy said. Walnut/Chestnut/Market/ "a few blocks in Chinatown"/and near Jims on South Street consists of where they drop off the tourists and where actual Philadelphians never go.
The other cities have much more upscale shopping. I didn't think that's what we were judging though.
Absolutely, the other cities don't have KOP to compete with so close to the city. Unfortunately for Philly, Center City plays second fiddle to KOP. But then again, I couldn't care less about upscale shopping.
I think Toronto sometimes gets over sold as well as under sold. It has a massive number of high-rises, but there's still a substantial amount of area, high-rise or not, that is not really mixed-use even within just Old Toronto along with some pretty common stretches of detached single family homes with driveways.
Having lived in Toronto for 3 years, I'd say that's a pretty accurate statement. There's a fair number detached or semi-detached duplexes in and around Toronto's core, though they are disappearing rather rapidly and being replaced by midrise commercial/residential housing or former single family homes being converted into duplexes or triplexes to save space.
I'd say this has more to do with Toronto's historic development patterns - up until the 1980s, Toronto was simply a regional center, largely suburban, and was overshadowed by Montreal for more than a century. Toronto's real urban renaissance only started in the late 80s when it took on an increasing role as the center of Canada's finance, commerce, anglophone culture and arts, and more recently as the country's tech and startup hub.
Below is a pretty typical shot of the type of low-rise, semi-detached duplexes in and around the Toronto's core.
Because of the desirability of their locations, many duplex neighborhoods would be surrounded by newer highrise condos, with much less privacy but at least a foot hold in a convenient location. This is a pretty typical midrise condo development that's increasingly taking over former detached/semi-detached neighborhoods:
The good thing is that a lot of the times the commercial zones/corridors in Old Toronto aren't too far away, but that's not always the case.
Also quite accurate. As long as one lives near a major commercial corridor like Yonge, Danforth, Bay, Bloor, Eglinton, St. Clair etc., you'd be almost guaranteed a medium to high vibrancy environment, along with access to rapid transit (subway) or some form of 24-hour LRT or streetcar service. This applies to nearly all neighborhoods in and around Toronto's downtown and midtown, as well as the eastern and western shoulders of downtown (King, Queen, Adelaide, Dundas streets). Below is Toronto's current streetcar/LRT network (11 lines), which covers almost the entire Downtown and Midtown cores as well as the east and west ends:
Absolutely, the other cities don't have KOP to compete with so close to the city. Unfortunately for Philly, Center City plays second fiddle to KOP. But then again, I couldn't care less about upscale shopping.
Actually most if not all the other cities have big suburban malls that compete for stores.
Having been to all of these cities many times, they all have urban area's. I see people talking about downtowns. In the U.S. there are two "downtowns." New York City is in a class by itself and then after that Chicago is in a lower tier, but a class by itself in regards to the loop, Mich Ave, Museums, food, etc, esp spring - fall.
All the other cities are distinct in that San Fran has the biggest Chinatown, Philly has very dirty/urban row home streets(some people on these forums like that), but also Center city is nice, but is small.
San Fran and Boston are very similar in size, density, hilliness.
DC is just different do to all the low rise gov buildings.
Toronto is nice and has the best downtown in canada.
Having lived in Toronto for 3 years, I'd say that's a pretty accurate statement. There's a fair number detached or semi-detached duplexes in and around Toronto's core, though they are disappearing rather rapidly and being replaced by midrise commercial/residential housing or former single family homes being converted into duplexes or triplexes to save space.
I'd say this has more to do with Toronto's historic development patterns - up until the 1980s, Toronto was simply a regional center, largely suburban, and was overshadowed by Montreal for more than a century. Toronto's real urban renaissance only started in the late 80s when it took on an increasing role as the center of Canada's finance, commerce, anglophone culture and arts, and more recently as the country's tech and startup hub.
Below is a pretty typical shot of the type of low-rise, semi-detached duplexes in and around the Toronto's core
Because of the desirability of their locations, many duplex neighborhoods would be surrounded by newer highrise condos, with much less privacy but at least a foot hold in a convenient location. This is a pretty typical midrise condo development that's increasingly taking over former detached/semi-detached neighborhoods:
Also quite accurate. As long as one lives near a major commercial corridor like Yonge, Danforth, Bay, Bloor, Eglinton, St. Clair etc., you'd be almost guaranteed a medium to high vibrancy environment, along with access to rapid transit (subway) or some form of 24-hour LRT or streetcar service. This applies to nearly all neighborhoods in and around Toronto's downtown and midtown, as well as the eastern and western shoulders of downtown (King, Queen, Adelaide, Dundas streets). Below is Toronto's current streetcar/LRT network (11 lines), which covers almost the entire Downtown and Midtown cores as well as the east and west ends:
I was surprised to see trash cans in FRONTS in one picture? Not merely out for pick-up day. I knew some Philly neighborhood blocks the front yards were as back yards.
Since we are NOW DOING NEIGHORHOODS AROUND THE CORES.....
New INFILL in CHICAGO neighborhoods I've seen. Just OUTSIDE THE CORE. But very near.....
Having been to all of these cities many times, they all have urban area's. I see people talking about downtowns. In the U.S. there are two "downtowns." New York City is in a class by itself and then after that Chicago is in a lower tier, but a class by itself in regards to the loop, Mich Ave, Museums, food, etc, esp spring - fall.
All the other cities are distinct in that San Fran has the biggest Chinatown, Philly has very dirty/urban row home streets(some people on these forums like that), but also Center city is nice, but is small.
San Fran and Boston are very similar in size, density, hilliness.
DC is just different do to all the low rise gov buildings.
Toronto is nice and has the best downtown in canada.
No, we like grit, which is not dirty. Seems to me you don't understand the difference. You're also probably not aware that those areas of Philadelphia are quite safe. It's similar to Chicago and Brooklyn. Hell, San Francisco as well.
In my experiences, San Francisco and Paris were dirtier than Philadelphia, but "romanticism", etc.
Center City is also not small and is a gorgeous CBD.
KOP is not your average Suburban mall. It's quite different.
Neither is Tyson's Corner Center and the Tyson's Galleria across the street in the DC area. Which I think is closer to DTDC than KOP is to Philadelphia. So that's really nothing unique to Philadelphia.
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